I thought I'd resurrect this thread and ask if anyone has tried converting their HIDs to LEDs? There are a number of LED D1S's available (for example, here: ​ ).

I am somewhat underwhelmed with the headlights on the 2009 XK compared to my other cars (both Mercs - with outstanding headlights). LEDs would be great since they (should) never have to be replaced. Having said that, most seem to have cooling fans which, no doubt, will fail long before the LED.

So maybe the way to go is with better quality HIDs rather than LEDs? I am happy to see that some people have really improved the situation by simply getting new HIDs.

Let me know if you've tried the LED D1S's.

Plus - any other advice on the topic is much appreciated!

 

I've not read one good thing about LED conversions in a projector system.
Poor element placement (too tall, too short) and an obvious split (double sided circuit boards) in light transmission leave dark gaps where none existed before...

 

You have aged bulbs or ballasts. There is no logical reason for HID lights of same wattage and to be better in one car vs the other.
Another remote possibility is that previous owner put in the wrong wattage or temperature bulbs. (not unlike what you were about to do)

My 2010 has outstanding illumination, low and high beam, I have never wanted anything else.
The gentleman with the aubergine car above saw noticeable change when he changed bulbs, even to inferior ones.

 

OK - I think this is very good advice (and I am sure you would agree :-)

I'll replace the bulbs with new HID D1Ss and see how that works out.

I'll search around to see what people are recommending in terms of make/model, but if anyone has had a great experience with a particular HID replacement, I'd love to hear it.

Thank you all again!

 

These are the bulbs you want.
Just hold your nose and pay for them, worth the extra money- however its cheaper than buying them in a pair dont forget the $5 coupon.

 

Both my '07 and 2010 headlamps are simply the worst I have owned in a very long time.
My old Audi A4 had better illumination and articulation control, and my old Lexus IS350 was amazing at throwing light way down the road.

Along came my 2 Jags, and neither articulate in meaningful response to wheel input (IE slow, and small throw). Nor do they toss light down the road. Instead, we loose far too much to overhead scatter and I blame that plastic "defuser" inside the housing for a large chunk of my problems. I thought I read somewhere that it was a EU requirement for lighting overhead signs n such?

Interestingly, I sat with Muddydog in a parking lot, and pitted his Jag against my 1991 Mitsubishi Halogens, and felt 1991 technology was an easy match if not a tad better!
(Truth be told, the Mitsu has dual lamps on each side, but only one switches to high beam while the other remains low.)

If I fork out for anything new, it will be the Philips X-tremes, with nearly twice the output. Gotta open up the headlamps and yank that darn scatter plate before I toss cash at the problem.

 

Ok - thanks everyone. I have ordered replacements and we will see if it helps.

Have a great day!

 

Anyone know offhand what type a 2012 XKR has? I've seen D1S and D3S on this thread.

 

What is the defuser and scatter plate? My Volvo uses D1S and it projects the high beam like it is daylight; it gives off way more light than my XKR. I checked on Amazon for fitment of HID D1S or D3S and it says D3S fits my 2014. However, I checked a specialty light store and it says D1S. I guess it is advisable to check with the dealer for your VIN or yank them out to check yourself.

 

Sorry for the crude image...

Both my cars have it.

 

I believe the switch was with the 2012 update. The angular lights have the D1S 85v bulbs and the curvy lights have the lower voltage D3S 42v bulbs - but check. I would not expect any pre-2012 car to have the D3S bulbs. Mine has a build date of 11/2011 (very late for a pre-facelift) and uses the D1S bulbs. I would guess that no facelift car uses D1S bulbs. They probably would not have changed the technology halfway through the last run.

Theoretically the light output is supposed to be the same. However, the design of the headlight unit itself will dictate how the light is delivered, hence different performance with the same bulb in different cars.

 

@Clevername - thanks for this image. Your projector lenses look pretty clear in the photo - though it is hard to tell for sure. On mine, they are a little cloudy (as though they have cataracts :-). I will try to take an image tonight when I get home and see if it comes out in the pictures. On my other cars, the projector lenses look quite clear.

I assumed they were just made a bit cloudy - but seeing yours - perhaps there is an issue with mine.

My headlight assembly clear cover is good - it is just the projector lenses that look a bit off.

Does this happen with age? Has anyone else noticed somewhat cloudy projector lenses?

 

Tagged

 

Both my '07 and 2010 are crystal clear. Truth be told I got new assemblies on my 2007 back in 2013 thanks to the car getting sand blasted! Needless to say, the lenses dated 2013 got moved over the my 2010 as soon as I bought it! The 2013 lenses shown in the photo also have a clear film (clear bra) to protect them from rock impacts.
I wish I had asked for the old lenses and stuff now, but back then, I was just ecstatic to get a complete repaint and new everything up front!

I know the projector lens in my Lexus were actual glass (I bought a used pair thinking I might be able to modify them for the Jag). I never thought about Jaguar possibly being some form of acrylic? It would shock me to learn that! (meh.......or maybe not...........)

Fingers crossed, and I hope yours just need a good cleaning from the back side!

 

Was advised by service dept of main dealer that all jaguars with xenons from Nov 13 were standardised with D3S bulbs, as that was quite late in the production cycle of the X150 very few will have them. A F-types will use D3S's

Even my indy thought it was wrong, main d(st)ealer wanted £200 a bulb I purchased off of amazon for £120 for the pair

Sommat about kinder to the environment...which I find quite amusing when it's fitted to a thumping great V8

 

I just finished installing these; RCP - D1S6 - (A Pair) D1S/ D1R 6000K Xenon HID Replacement Bulb Diamond White that I've had on the shelf for about a year now. Paid $22 for the two. Although I haven't checked 'em out at night yet, the light looks 'cleaner' and maybe just a bit brighter while looking inside the garage, which was full of daylight.
Of course, I think maybe the bulbs I took out may have been NON-oem, because I never had what others describe as Not Good Enough. Hellz, they were almost as good as the wife's RX350 headlights, and those are great.

As far as LED goes, I don't know about what's up with the HID difference, but I put a pair of HIKARI LED replacements in my non-hid F150 and My GAWDS they improved the light drastically over the OEM Halogens. They cost me $90, also about a year ago.

 

First and foremost, almost none of the LED upgrades are street legal. Reading fine print always says "For off road use only" or "You are responsible for knowing your local laws". This indemnifies sellers of responsibility and places it on the buyers shoulders.

That said, it is imperative that the light emitter is Exactly the same location as the bulb filament it replaced. Placing an emitter too high/deep or too low/shallow does not allow the reflective surfaces of the lamp housing to focus correctly. Instead of a "beam", it becomes a "flood". With a "flood", there is no longer a low beam setting as far as oncoming traffic is concerned.

This is becoming all too common on todays roads to be blinded by someone that has taken no time to study the issue, or just does not care for the safety of those they share the road with. (And the Honda kids bitch cause everyone is flashing high beams at them! Gee.....really? We are the bad guys here?)
Stay with a filament that is 100% compatible the the design of your headlight housing reflectors. Brighter is fine, just do it right, and safely.

 

Doesn't ring quite true: the Jaguar part number for the D3S is C2D5254 and it seems to have been used first in the MY2010 XJ:

https://www.jaguarpartsunlimited.com...UtMGwtdjgtZ2Fz

It looks like that around 2010 onwards, every time a model got a facelift and new headlights, the bulb tech. switched to the 42v system (which apparently takes less power to switch on).

I still expect that all MY2012 and later XK/XKRs use the D3S bulbs which the dealer's listing above also suggests.

 

I tried out my new D1S bulbs last night and they were slightly better than the ones I took out. Age, maybe. ALSO, I did have to re-aim both sides as they were a bit out. Weird, but I guess a MM at the base is good for a meter at 100 feet.
Anyway, since not a ton of improvement, I still believe my old ones were replaced with non-OEM. Did I already do it? Someone sneak into my garage and do it for me???? Damn, getting old sucks.

 

digging this up... does anyone have a damaged housing that I might be able to 'play' with? I think that if that entire rippled area was smoothed and then either painted silver or covered in chrome tape that would reduce the intentional diffusion and possibly result in decent lighting.
or has someone already tried that?
wj